Bounty and Grace
by The Midnight Fox
Summary: Holidays at the Blackstone household are always exciting! Just a little Thanksgiving oneshot about the future of the characters from Mine. Rated T for references to drug use. Reviews and comments always welcome.


**Bounty and Grace**

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 **Warning: Minor reference to drug use ahead**

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"Baby, please?" Uncas begged from his place in the kitchen.

"What?" She asked, sparing a glance over her shoulder as she draped some decorative fall leaves over the top of the china hutch.

"Please spare my poor nerves and get off that chair?" He pled as he busily diced some more garlic for the _Tzatziki_ Andi's mom had set him to preparing.

"I'm not a ticking time bomb, Uncas." Ali replied tersely, exasperation coloring her tone. "I'm just pregnant."

She was 39 weeks pregnant, in fact, and he could just see her falling off that chair, going into labor, and having to be rushed to the hospital all before they even got the Turkey in the oven.

"Besides," she continued, showing zero signs of doing as he asked, "this is my _third_ time doing this! I think I know what's likely to induce labor by this point."

"She's right you know." Andi commented as she passed behind him, balancing a basket of dinner rolls on her own pregnant belly. She set it down near the left side of the already cramped buffet.

"I know, I know," Uncas griped as he finished dicing, "it just makes me nervous when she _deliberately_ disobeys doctors orders."

"Ah, doctors just say that shit so they won't to get sued." Andi's mother, Agda, commented dismissively.

"I used to scare the crap outta Dax when I was pregnant with that one." She pointed towards her daughter with a spatula.

"I used to climb onto the roof to fix the shingles. He wasn't gonna do it and we didn't have the money for a handyman. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!"

Uncas gaped at the older woman for what had to be the fifth time in an hour. She was equal parts intimidating and impressive. All Ali had ever told him about Andi's parents was that they 'had a thing Greek culture'. That had translated, in his mind, as they were _literally_ Greek. Nothing could be further from the truth. If anything, they were just a couple of old hippies.

Agda Pierce stood at about about 6'3, almost as tall as himself, and had a head full of curly, grey hair. She wore an over abundance of large jewelry, a tan skirt and a flowy top that looked like it had seen better days sometime around 1975. She was blunt and authoritative and had quite literally taken over their kitchen upon arriving.

"Yep, that was about the expression he had when he caught me at it too." Agda added with a laugh.

"How did you survive childhood?" Uncas asked Andi dryly. She smirked at him from her place by the dining room table.

"I've asked myself the same question for years." was her only amused reply.

Andi's parents would be a new addition to their Thanksgiving guestlist. Typically, they flew out to Colorado to be with Andi's older brother, Ares. Since he had recently become engaged, her brother would be spending the holiday with his fiance's family in California. Andi hadn't wanted to leave her parents high and dry so he and Ali had invited them to their house instead.

Agda scrutinized the stuffing in the large bowl before her, nodding her head as though the ground meat, giblets, raisins, pine nuts and rice were personally speaking to her. Uncas had never had the Greek style stuffing she was preparing but if it tasted as good as it smelled, she could just continue doing what she was doing.

"That _Tzatziki_ is looking pretty good for a first timer!" Agda complemented, slapping Uncas ass soundly. He jumped and let out a yelp. Handsy, Andi's parents were also _very_ handsy!

They had hugged everyone upon walking through the door, as though they had known them for years. Andi's father, Dax, had then grabbed Ali by the upper arms and kissed her vigorously on both cheeks, nearly lifting her off her feet in the process. Then he had shaken everyone's hand and asked after his daughter's pregnancy in his mellow, laid back tone. It was only when Uncas went to have his own hand shaken that he caught the mildly skunky odor of marijuana. He hadn't had a chance to look closely at the older man's eyes but he was pretty sure he was stoned out of his gord.

"Don't forget to chop that cucumber thinly before adding everything to the yogurt." Agda reminded him. She screwed up her mouth as though thinking before adding an extra dash of herbs and spices to her bowl.

"He's made this before, Ma." Andi defended as she walked back into the kitchen.

Agda ignored her daughter and shimmed around Uncas to get to the turkey that was sitting in it's broiling pan atop of the oven. She pulled on a pair of plastic gloves and began roughly manhandling her concoction inside it.

"When's your wife due again?" Agda asked Uncas offhandedly.

"Same day as me, Ma. I told you that already." Andi replied before Uncas could answer. This had been how most of their interactions had gone since they all arrived around noon. Agda would ask a question and Andi would answer it regardless of whom the older woman was actually speaking to.

"Probably sooner since I tend to go early." Ali corrected as she _finally_ climbed down and put the chair back in its place by the table. Her habit of giving birth earlier than expected was yet another reason why he didn't want her doing acrobatics on that damn chair.

Their first child, Isabel, had come almost 6 weeks early and Ali hadn't done anything to induce labor other than sit on the couch and read a book. Their second child, Paul, had been born with 3 weeks to spare. This new baby, another girl, was a week from her due date, making her the latest of their children to date. It made Uncas more anxious as the days ticked away.

"And I tend to be late and have to be induced." Andi commented as she poured some meat sauce over the sliced eggplant she had arranged in a casserole dish. It was going to be something called 'Moussaka' when the whole thing finally came together.

"Just let babies come when they come." Agda scolded no one in particular. "You young people are always in such a hurry for everything!"

"Oh, right, Ma! I'll just let her marinate in there while the placenta calcifies." Andi replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Ok, please let that be the end of the placenta discussion?" Uncas exclaimed, clapping his hands over his ears.

"You should be used to it by now, dude!" Paul quipped as he waltzed into the kitchen to dig into the fridge for a beer. "This isn't exactly your first rodeo."

"It's not like I make a habit of looking at all the, "he paused as he searched for the right words, "Stuff that comes out with them."

"Ha! He can't even say the word!" Paul crowed and Uncas flipped him the bird.

"Excuse me, who's watching the children?" Andi demanded as she took note of where her husband _wasn't_ and giving him the side eye.

"Your dad and the TV." Paul replied simply, using the edge of the counter to pop the top off his beer. "I put Cars 3 in the DVD player for them."

"Jesus, Paul!" Andi grumbled as she marched her way out into the living room. " _Bampas_ is stoned off his ass! You might as well have left them with 'Dancing Pete' at the corner Deli."

"At least they'd still be entertained!" He called after her, in no way phased by her slight burst of temper.

Well, that pretty much confirmed Uncas suspicion then. He didn't have a huge problem with weed as a general rule, it was tame compared to the other shit people got up to on the rez, but he really would have preferred to _not_ have a stoner watching his kids.

"Bah, ignore her!" Agda said, waving a hand before she opened the oven and pushed the turkey inside. "She always gets like this in the third trimester."

"Don't I know it!" Paul agreed, pointing in the direction of the living room with the tip of his beer. "I get yelled at several times a day at this point so I don't really take it personal anymore."

He took a sip of his beer as the doorbell sounded. Ali was the closest so she made her slow, plodding way toward the front to see who had arrived. They were still expecting Magua, Nate and Cora, Sinopa, as well as her girlfriend, so it could have been any of them. The loud voices of Nate and Cora drifted in a few seconds later, with the latter drifting into view carrying a large crock pot of mashed potatoes.

"Just put that wherever you can find room." Uncas called by way of greeting as he began mixing the garlic and cucumber into the _Tzatziki._

"You look like you're about to pop." Cora commented as she and Ali tried to arrange the crock pot on the buffet.

"Feels like it too." Ali groaned, twisting this way and that to adjust her back. "It feels like she's playing the bongo on my kidneys."

"You choose a name for that kid yet?" Nate asked as he walked in and waved hello to Paul and Uncas. Paul responded by reaching in the fridge and tossing his cousin a beer.

"We're stuck between Andrea and Aubrey." Ali answered, smiling.

" _She's_ stuck between Andrea and Aubrey." Uncas corrected, genially. "I settled on 'Princess Beyonce Banana Hammock' months ago."

"Niiiiice!" Paul draweled. "I like it!"

Uncas walked over to kiss his wife's cheek so she'd know he was only teasing. He'd be fine with either name though he thought 'Andrea Blackstone' rolled off the tongue more naturally than Aubrey. He figured Ali just needed to meet the baby before they decided. They had had the same problem with naming their son.

"What about you guys?" Nate asked Paul, leaning against the counter. "You decide on any names yet?"

"Her name will be Artemis," Andi declared as she walked in carrying Ali and Uncas' two year old on her hip, "but we'll probably call her Arte."

"Daddy, cars talking on T.B." Little Paul informed him solemnly. He was still having trouble with the B and V sounds.

"Were they?" Uncas replied as he walked over to take his son from Andi's arms. "What were they talking about?"

"Dey make beep beep sounds." The toddler replied, quietly, sticking his thumb in his mouth and curling his finger over his nose. He stared back at his father through eyes that were the same shade of brown though they were shaped more like his mother's. He had a head full of brown hair that they couldn't make lay flat to save their lives.

"I was right about _Bampas_ , he's already passed out in your dad's old chair." Andi told him with an apologetic smile. "Izzy and Than are tv zombies right now so they're fine but this one," she paused to rub little Paul's back, "had lost interest in his blocks and was debating eating a Lego."

Uncas mouthed a 'thank you' at Andi before carrying his son over to the playpen in the corner. Inside was all manner of soft cars and balls. It would probably keep him entertained for a little while at least. Little Paul wasn't watching too many movies these days as he tended to react oddly to them. He'd been having nightmares, regardless of what he saw, and ending up in their bed several times a week. His pediatrician recommended limiting visual stimulation for a while so they were trying that out before the new baby arrived.

The doorbell sounded again, signalling the arrival of yet another guest. This time it was Uncas who answered the door, revealing the cold, yet smiling face, of his Uncle Magua, carrying a plate piled high with Fry bread.

"Oh, thank god you're here!" He said lowly as he ushered the older man inside. "Andi's dad is stoned and fell asleep in the living room. Can you go in there and make sure the kids aren't slaughtering a goat or something?"

Just because Andi said they were engrossed in the movie didn't mean they would stay that way. Both Izzy and Than were energetic children by nature so Uncas didn't trust the movie to hold their attention span indefinitely.

"On it!" Magua said and made a line for the dining room area to greet everyone and put his Fry bread with the rest of the sides. Their daughters happy 'Papa' sounded a few seconds later, letting Uncas know that Magua had indeed reached his destination.

He didn't have time to move from the front door, however, as it rang a third time, heralding the arrival of Sinopa and her girlfriend, Ivy.

"I brought Boston creme pie!" The curly haired surgeon announced when he opened the door.

Ivy grinned at him, holding out the decadent pastry. Sinopa stood next to her with a bottle of Merlot cradled in one arm and her other around the woman's waist.

"Andi's gonna be sad she can't have any of that!" Uncas said as he hugged both women and took the bottle of wine from his friend.

"She's allowed to have a glass a week during the third trimester." Ivy pointed out as she shrugged out of her short purple jacket.

"Yeah, try telling _her_ that." Uncas replied laughingly.

He led the two women into the dining room to a chorus of greetings from the gathered guests. Ivy walked over to lay the pie on the buffet when little Paul suddenly took notice of her.

"Aunt Iby, up! Up!" He cried, holding up his chubby little arms in the play pen.

"Hey there, little dude!" She greeted, cheerily. She humored him by walking over to lift him out of the baby prison and settle him on her hip. Immediately his little hands came up to fiddle with the colorful beads she wore around her neck.

"Uh oh! Looks like you guys might need to get your own toddler soon." Paul commented, watching Ivy bounce and sing with the baby.

"Don't give her any ideas," Sinopa muttered as she walked past him to crack open the bottle of wine they had brought over. "I'm still trying to convince her we don't have time for a dog."

"You mean you don't!" Ivy corrected in a sing song voice as she made faces at Paul. He responded by giggling and grabbing her nose.

Good natured bickering was just part of Ivy and Sinopa's relationship. They had been together for the past three years and appeared to be in it for the long haul. Sinopa had met her when she was getting certified for neonatal care. Ivy had a degree not only in pediatrics but in natal surgery as well, making her more than a match for Sinopa in the medical field.

She was also tall, standing at about 5'10 while barefoot. She was of mixed heritage, her mother being African American and her father being swedish, which gave her a light, caramel colored complexion. Big brown eyes and a wide, smiling mouth rounded out her features and on top of being attractive, she was as smart as they came with an unrivaled wit and insane sense of humor.

"I want at least ten of these." She informed her girlfriend, happily.

"God help us!" Sinopa muttered as she took a sip of her wine.

"Dinner will be ready in twenty so you guys go do whatever until I call you!" Agda commanded from the kitchen.

Taking that as a hint that they should all vacate her territory, the group meandered their way into the den. Dax was indeed asleep in Chingachgook's old chair when they arrived, his chin resting on his chest and his hands folded over his belly. If Agda looked like she was dressed circa 1975 then Dax looked like he had just stepped out of the same decade. He had the customary 70's mullet with sideburns and John Lennon style glasses that were currently sliding down his somewhat bulbous nose. He snored quietly from the chair and everyone instinctively moved quietly, doing their best not to disturb his nap.

Magua was seated on the edge of the couch with Izzy balanced on one of his knees. She chatted at him animatedly as she pointed at whatever was happening on the television.

"And then Lightning Mcqueen said…." she narrated for her great uncle.

"Uh-huh." Magua replied, nodding his head even though Izzy wasn't looking at him.

"Ok, there, _Aahsa_?" Uncas queried, smiling.

"Oh, we're fine. Izzy, here, is just telling me what these talking cars are up to."

"Lightning Mcqueen is winning, daddy!" Izzy chirped happily, never taking her eyes off the screen. Andi and Paul's son, Than, was still sitting on the floor and didn't even react when his dad ruffled his hair as he went by.

"That's cool, baby girl." He replied indulgently.

Izzy was not what he would call a 'girly girl' despite her mother's best efforts. Even right now, sitting there in her little sweater dress with her black hair pulled back in a braid, she had already kicked off the sparkly purple socks and shiny black shoes. He knew she would probably shed that dress for some sweat pants the first chance she had.

Isabel had no interest in anything pink or Disney princesses or any of the typically girly stuff other kids her age were into. Ivy and Sinopa had bought her a barbie for her birthday last year but she never played with it. It now existed somewhere at the back of her closest with all the other toys she had outgrown. Uncas knew Ali had secretly hoped their oldest would show an interest in ballet but no such luck so far. Maybe she would have better luck with their second daughter.

"Try not to talk your uncle's ear off, ok?" Ali groaned as she settled next to them on the couch. Izzy made a noncommittal 'hmmm' with her throat by way of response.

"You ok, baby?" Uncas asked her worriedly as he sat down next to her.

"Fine, fine," she sighed, waving a hand in the air, "just some back pain. It's normal, stop fussing."

"You sure it's not back labor?" Sinopa asked as she settled on the edge of the arm chair by Andi's dad. Dax let out a loud snore and smacked his lips but otherwise didn't wake up. Sinopa never completely left 'work mode' as she generally spent her days in the neonatal unit of Browning's hospital. Uncas was surprised it took her this long to comment on Ali's pregnancy.

"Oh my god, you guys," Ali burst out, "I'm fine, I'm not made of glass! Why are we just picking on me? Andi's due the same day and no one is fussing over her!"

"That's because Andi's uterus would hold that kid hostage an extra 2 months if she allowed it." Ivy answered with a little smile in Andi's direction.

"It's true!" Andi agreed, nodding.

"Alright, alright," Ali relented, letting out an annoyed puff of air "If I feel anything weird _at all_ I will let you guys know, ok?"

"What? What I miss?" Dax mumbled, coming abruptly out of his nap.

"Nothing, _Bampas_ ," Andi replied reassuringly patting his shoulder, "just everyone worrying after Ali.

"Oh." He grunted and straightened in the chair as though he hadn't just been in a pot induced coma.

"Changing the subject!" Andi announced, putting her hands in the air as Ali fumed silently next to Uncas. "Paul and I are finally ready to buy a house!"

Amongst the chorus of 'woo hoo's' and 'congratulations', Uncas and Ali shared a mutual glance. They were in the process of having a larger home built which probably wouldn't be ready until summer at the earliest. They hadn't even begun to look for a realtor for their current house and Andi's announcement had just given them both the same idea.

" _Uh_...soooooo, how would you guys feel about buying _our_ house?" Uncas suggested slowly, when the cacophony of voices finally died down. "I mean, Paul pretty much redesigned every square inch of this place so you wouldn't have to do much more than repaint. We'd give it to you for cheap."

"Well, I…" Andi began and blinked as the idea settled into her surprised brain. She looked over at her husband who wore an equally surprised and thoughtful expression. "I honestly hadn't thought of that."

"Well, neither did I until about 5 seconds ago." Uncas admitted with a laugh.

"What do you think, Babe?" Andi asked her husband, she looked half sold on the idea already. Besides, she always talked about how much she liked their kitchen so it was a win-win all around.

"I think it would save us a shit ton in the down payment department!" He replied, grinning.

"Well, we don't have to finalize anything right this second but I think this house would suit your needs pretty well. It's got three bedrooms, two and a half baths, the studio back there for Andi to practice in...plus you'd save us from having to interview realtors."

"He makes a good point." Andi said as she glanced around the room.

From her expression, she was probably already trying to imagine her furniture in the space. If Uncas were completely honest though, the house needed a little more than a fresh coat of paint. Izzy and Paul had scribbled on more than a few of the walls and the guest bathroom could do with an update. Still, Paul was always up for a challenge and Uncas knew he would enjoy remodeling every nook and cranny to fit their personalities.

"Hell, where do you want me to sign?" Paul asked, taking a pen out of his pocket and jokingly clicking it for emphasis.

"Yeah, let's worry about all that _after_ the holidays." Andi laughed, lowering her husband's hand and re-clicking the pen herself.

They might have discussed the housing situation longer if Agda hadn't hollered for them to 'get their asses into the dining room and tell her how wonderful her turkey was'. They gathered up the kids and situated them at their miniature ikea table. As they'd only put away an ounce of food between them, Ali and Andi only loaded their plates with tiny portions of whatever they thought they might eat.

Once the kids were settled, the adults sat down and began to tuck away their own Thanksgiving feast. The Moussaka that Andi had prepared was great but the Turkey Agda had slaved over from the moment she arrived was phenomenal! Uncas told her so repeatedly and all but _begged_ her to come back and cook it again next year.

"Or teach me to make it?" He amended, shoving another bite into his mouth and chewing with vigor.

He had started learning to cook when he became a stay at home dad for his first two kids. He wasn't great in the kitchen, not yet anyway, but he was learning. At least he was past the phase where he burned water.

"I'll email Andi the recipe and have her give it to you." Agda replied, smiling with satisfaction at his compliment.

Uncas glanced at his wife, who was seated next to him, in time to see her grimace and rub at the small of her back. He didn't want to bother her about the status of the baby again but he couldn't quite quell the niggling fear that she was going into labor.

"You sure you're ok?" he muttered to her so that no one else heard them.

"Yeah, I've just had this random back pain since this morning. I think she's laying on a nerve or something."

"I know you don't want me to fuss but are you _sure_ we shouldn't call the doctor?" He asked, seriously. Ali smiled at him and laid a hand over his on the table.

"I love you despite the fussing but no, I'm fine, I promise." she responded calmly.

"Guess who got a promotion to head surgeon?" Sinopa announced, her voice invading their discussion as she did her best Vanna white impression. Ivy grinned and held her glass out, looking quite proud of herself.

"That's great, Ives!" Nate congratulated, "You've been working toward that for forever!"

"Well, now I get to do nothing _but_ work for the foreseeable future, so..." Ivy made a face and trailed off as she took a big sip of her Merlot.

"Don't let her fool you, she's thrilled." Sinopa loudly whispered to the table, earning a laugh from the gathered adults. Ivy smiled and smacked her girlfriend's arm playfully.

"What about you, Magua?" Ivy asked, changing the subject. "Any plans to retire and take up golf?"

" _Uh,_ no and no!" Magua replied flatly. Another wave of laughter drifted around the table. Magua's loathing of golf was well known by all of them.

"Well, it doesn't have to be golf," Ivy amended, shooting him a teasing smile, "there's also knitting, swing dancing, bingo…"

"Do you want me to go to prison for murdering you over dinner?" Magua shot back in a faux angry voice.

Though his tone sounded rough, he and Ivy were well known for picking on each other. She knew he would no more hurt her than he would hurt one of the kids. Everyone enjoyed their little fake arguments and no one took the good natured ribbing seriously.

"Scrap booking, it is!" Ivy laughed.

Even magua cracked a smile at that one. Then conversation turned back to more general topics; what recitals Ali's students were having for the christmas production, and how soon Andi would return to dancing after the baby was born, and finally when Uncas' next art show be. Even Dax, who had been stoned into sleep earlier, perked up as he took a third helping of Magua's Fry bread.

"I retire next month." He announced around a mouthful of food. "Once Agda here retires, I plan to take her on one of those fancy Alaskan cruises."

"Good luck with that one, _Bampas_ ," Andi said affectionately, "Ma is probably going to work until she dies."

"Damn straight!" Agda declared with a nod.

"Mommy, can we go play now?" Izzy interrupted from her place at the small table.

She and Than had already mixed their food into an indecipherable mishmash on their plates and weren't likely to eat any more of it.

"I'll take them to the living room, I'm done anyway." Cora offered as she pushed back her chair and went to take her plate to the kitchen.

"Oh, could you?" Ali asked her gratefully. "I'm too stuffed to move!"

"Oh, me too!" Ivy declared, hopping out of her seat to lift little Paul from his high chair. His face was completely covered in cream pie filling and he smiled at her messily as she picked him up.

"Wet wipes are on the sideboard." Uncas called as they walked away. When the two women were gone, Uncas looked across the table at his brother.

"So, are you ever gonna give that woman a kid of her own? She's practically dying to be a parent." He asked him semi-teasingly.

"Hey, that ain't my call," Nate replied, putting his hands in the air, "That's all on her. What with the foster kids going in and out all the time, we haven't had much time to ourselves."

The Foster kid situation was true enough, they always seemed to have one kid coming or going whenever he and Ali visited. Despite his semi-joking comment, Uncas wasn't entirely sure that Nate and Cora even _wanted_ children of their own. Cora was so dedicated her to social work on the reservation that fitting a baby into that would be difficult.

"I could turn the question around and ask if you two are done." Nate pointed out, smiling smugly at his brother and sister in law where they sat next to one another.

Uncas saw Ali blush out of the corner of his eye and was suddenly glad for his own darker complexion. They got teased quite often by the family for their rather quick succession of children. He also knew that a lot of family members thought they married so quickly because of Izzy. In reality, Izzy had been a honeymoon surprise.

Uncas couldn't say for certain that they would be 'done' after this baby either. They had both taken to parenthood with enthusiasm and were building the larger house so they would have more options in the baby making department.

"I _uh.._ plead the fifth." Ali replied, taking a sip of water.

The guests hung around for another hour or so before slowly trickling back out to head home. Nate and Cora were amongst the first to leave, followed soon after that by Ivy and Sinopa who both had early shifts at the hospital in the morning. Magua was the third to go, followed lastly by Andi, Paul, and her parents.

"I'm serious about that recipe." Uncas told Agda as he gave her a tight hug. "That was some of the best stuffing I've ever had in my life!"

"Stop or you'll give her a complex!" Andi scoffed playfully.

Uncas and Ali said their goodbyes and shut the door before sharing a secret smile between them. The kids would be going down for the night soon which meant they were now free to do the one thing they had both been looking forward to all day... drag out the christmas tree!

It was a tradition they had started on their first married Thanksgiving together. They had been bored after all the guests had gone and there had been nothing interesting on the television. Ali had jokingly asked if he wanted to put up the christmas tree and, from that moment on, they started dragging it out the moment everyone had dispersed for home.

"Think we'll ever get tired of doing this?" Uncas asked, spitting out a little bit of fake branch that got stuck in his mouth as he was unfolding the top of the imitation spruce.

"Well, we haven't gotten tired of it in three years so I see no reason we should start now?" She answered as she fluffed out some of the branches in the middle.

They wouldn't do much more than puts lights on it for that night. Morning would be dedicated to decorating it and digging through the garage for the rest of their christmas stuff. Uncas had already bought the customary box of donuts for their morning of preemptive holiday cheer so they were good to go.

"I think Andi and Paul will take us up on buying the house," Uncas commented as he finally managed to screw the top base into the middle, "I could see the gears turning in his head as he looked around the living room."

"Mmmhmmm." Ali responded, making an odd face as she moved around the tree.

"I'd lay money they tear out the guest bathroom and build a new one." He continued as he stepped back and studied his handiwork.

"Voila! One ready to go tree!"

"Um, Uncas?" Ali said in a tiny voice.

"What?" he asked as he pulled the cord over to plug in the tree and see if the pre-attached lights still worked. They twinkled brightly back at him.

"Can you _uh_... call Cora and ask her to come back over, please?"

"Why, what's up?" He asked, poking his head back around the tree to stare at his wife.

"I _um_... either wee'd all over myself or my water just broke." She stated tonelessly.

He looked at her legs to see that her pants were indeed wet and there was a small puddle of clear water forming at her feet.

"I knew it!" Uncas crowed, standing up to come around the tree. "I knew you were going into labor!"

"Would you just call her please!" Ali commanded flatly.

He did, but only after he had gotten in a decent round of 'I told you so's'. Cora arrived in what was probably only a few minutes but felt more like 3 hours from where he was sitting. She agreed to watch the kids while he drove Ali over to Browning General.

Soon enough she was checked into a room and about two hours after that, their third child drifted quietly into the world. She arrived with barely a squeak of sound, staring at everything and everyone with surprised brown eyes.

It was such a contrast to Izzy, who had been vocal from the moment she discovered her voice and little Paul, who had been 'born complaining' as Magua put it. This baby looked around with wonder, her little eyes darting from one thing to the next, as though it were all very fascinating.

"I think this one is going to have more your personality." Ali commented quietly, smiling at him tiredly from her place in the bed.

"I think you might be right." Uncas replied, smiling down at the six pound, eight ounce bundle in his arms.

"Still want to call her Princess Beyonce Banana Hammock?" Ali chuckled, still goofy from the after effects of her epidural.

"How about Andrea for short?" He suggested, the baby let out a happy coo in his arms as though she approved.

"Andrea it is." Ali said back sleepily.

In a few minutes she drifted off to sleep and Uncas settled into a nearby chair to study his daughter's tiny features. He was going to enjoy the brief moment of solitude before they were assailed by relatives and well wishers once again.

Baby Andrea yawned and closed her eyes, her little fingers wrapped tightly around one of his. He rocked her gently, singing quietly in Blackfoot, as she too, drifted off to sleep.

"Welcome to the world Andrea Blackstone." he whispered happily. He thought, though he couldn't be sure, that the baby's lips smiled back in response.

* * *

 **Authors note:**

 **Here's a happy little Mine themed Thanksgiving oneshot for you! I came up with this after I wrote a Christmas themed one which will be uploaded sometime next month. I wanted to write something happy since I've been feeling a bit down since the election. I also wanted to write this as a good little in-between tale for the christmas oneshot (Which is set 10 years after the end of Mine). I might do little one shots like this from time to time if an idea occur to me. i don't really plan on delving too much into Ali and Uncas life after the events in Mine but it IS fun to revisit the characters lives and see what they're up to.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this little Thanksgiving treat. I do plan on going back to Coming Back To You but it will most likely be after Christmas because we are currently being assailed by all manner of guests for the coming month. Still, you have the Christmas One shot to look forward to in the interim. I hope you all have a very happy Thanksgiving and I will see you all again soon!**


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